We surveyed 196 individuals who study or work in STEM regarding the role models and inspirations that had an influence on them pursuing STEM education and careers. The data showed that role models influenced around 30% of the sample. These role models can then be divided into three overarching types, teachers, family, and well-known scientists,…

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to explore sharing behavior among college students who use e-cigarettes. Methods: A convenience sample of current e-cigarette users answered questionnaire items regarding sharing behavior (e.g., the number of people that have shared e-cigarettes, the settings that sharing takes place, reasons for…

The overarching aim of this dissertation is to expand evidence and theory of adult identity processes in the context of environmental stewardship, as well as to provide knowledge and recommendations to environmental stewardship and environmental education professionals. The intent is to better understand variation in how adult environmental…

While most teachers in U.S. classrooms are women, most superintendents, the highest-ranking position in school districts, are men. Somewhere during educators' trajectory to superintendent positions, the representation of women diminishes. One might think that women, who make up most of the teachers, should be at least equally represented to men as…

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to an influx of research studies focusing on the new norm of online teaching--learning in higher education. However, much less is known about how this profound shift in pedagogy has impacted school education especially among rural children of India. The present study is an attempt to understand the barriers and…

The study examines the views of children and educators with regards to belonging in one diverse preschool setting in Iceland. It builds on the ideology of the politics of belonging, referring to children's relationships in the community of preschool, children's participation, and the process of inclusion and exclusion among the children. This…

India's expectation of a demographic dividend owing to an increase in the working age population necessitated government measures aimed at skilling youth. Considerable emphasis was therefore placed on skill development policies and programmes, including revamping formal vocational education and training (VET) institutions that provide skills to…

In an era where many states' postsecondary education governance dynamics are evolving, we set out to understand whether state-level governing boards with centralized governance functions affected institutions' decisions to engage in in-person instruction during the fall of 2020, the first fall of the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined sociopolitical…

Imposter phenomenon (IP) is characterized by an internal perception of one's intellectual fraudulence despite having objective and consistent accomplishments in a career. IP is prevalently observed among high-achieving, successful, and accomplished individuals, including students heading toward high-achieving careers. The current study explored…

Nearly half the world's people are bilingual, but many have no clear understanding of what--aside from being fluent in more than one language--bilingualism means. This lively introduction by linguist Penelope Gardner-Chloros covers everything a bilingual (or curious monolingual) individual might want to know. The book discusses how bilingualism…

This research explores the social-cultural factors influencing learners' preferences for Open and Distance Learning (ODL). Specific objectives were to investigate the social-cultural factors influencing learners' choice of ODL, and the role of higher education in promoting preference for ODL and to identify challenges facing ODL. Case study design…

Objective: This study examined college students' perceptions of how parents, family, friends, significant others, and the media influenced eating and exercise behaviors and weight perceptions. Participants: Forty-one college students, mostly female, participated in interviews. Methods: A Grounded Theory approach, using open coding and memoing, was…

This study examined the development of self-efficacy among third-grade girls in a low-achieving school setting. Self-efficacy is defined as an individual's belief in their capabilities to attain desired outcomes, as described by Schillinger et al. (2021). This belief plays a significant role in influencing academic performance, social…

Use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) often relies on the involvement of AAC service providers; however little is known about how AAC services are delivered across Canada. This study aimed to explore AAC service provision and factors influencing use of AAC from the perspectives of service providers across Canada who are involved…

A supportive environment is critical for individuals to protect their developmentally bio-psycho-socio-emotional health. This research was carried out to determine the possible causes of "desire for rapid growth", which is frequently seen in childhood, and the emotional states caused by "desire for rapid growth" in children,…